Washing-machine



R. I. SCHNEIDER.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. 1919.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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I WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1919.

1,866,102, Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

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PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND J. SCHNEIDER; 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

wasnme-mnorrmn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921 Application filed April 16, 1919. Serial No. 290,515.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND J. SOHNnI- DER a citizen of the United States, residing at ldetroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Washing-Machines, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as Wlll enable others skilled in the .art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to washing machines, and its object is to provide a simple and efficient device for the washing of clothing, etc., in which the clothes are held in a revoluble basket to, cause the same to travel beneath yieldable paddles whereby all the clothes of the basket are brought to position to be operated upon by the paddles. A furtherobject ofthe invention isto provide a washing machine having a removable perforate basket in which the clothes are positioned during the washing operation and which is adapted to be raised from position in the 'water whereby they may be drained previous to ringing, and an additional object of the invention is to provide a series of yieldable paddle members adapted to be rotated and consecutively brought into contact with the clothes in the basket or tub in a manner to depress the same in the water causing the water to be pressed through the fibers of the cloth and to cleanse the same of foreign matter. Another object is to provide a series of revoluble paddles, yieldable in character for the purpose stated, that are removable as a unit ,from the tub to allow the removal of the sa1d basket. These objects andthe several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully I described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which.

igure 1 is a vertical section of a washing machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the yieldable paddles.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of'the paddles.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the connection of the paddle shaft with the driving shaft.

The tub 1 is preferably cylindrical in form supported on legs 2 having the usual casters 3. A cross frame work 4 is provided on which is supported the driving motor 5 connected by means of aoyieldable clutch device 6 with a worm shaft driving the worm 7 on the vertical shaft 8 also supported by the framework. Thisshaft 8 has at the upper end thereof a bevel gear 9 in an incloslng casing 10 which gear meshes with a bevel 11 on a horizontal shaft 12 that is slidable through the gear and the bearings rovided for the shaft in the case 10 This gear 11 also is continuously in mesh with another gear 13 secured to a vertical shaft 1 1 in alinement with the shaft 8 and adapted to drive a horizontal shaft 15 rovided for a wringer (not here shown). 1 12 at the inner end has a pin 16 extending therethrough and the end of the shaft is reduced n slze to permit of its introduction into the end of the shaft 17 for the paddles, the shaft being slotted recelve the pin whereby revolution of the shaft 12 through operation'of the gears 9 and 11 causes rotation of the paddle shaft.

- This paddle shaft 17 at the side of the tub opposlte the gearing rests in a bracket 19 open on the upper slde to allow the shaft to be ralsed thereoutof. The shaft 12,'as heretofore stated, being movable longitudinally through the gear 11 and bearings for the shaft in the case 10, allows the pin 16 at the end of the shaft 12 to be withdrawn from engagement with the end .of the shaft 17, and this permits the ready disengagement of the shaft 17 i and the assembled paddles or blades thereon. The purpose of this detachas indicated at 18 to he shaft able connection of the paddle shaft is to alif low the introduction and removal of a foraminous basket 20 shown in Fig. 1. This tub has, in the construction shown, a frame member 21 having rollers 22, 22, etc., posi-' tioned beneath and at the sides of the basket and supporting the basket in position in the tub in a manner to allow of its ready revolution. With the parts in the assembled relationship as shown in F ig, 1 and with clothing in the said basket and necessary soap and water in the tub, the revolution of the paddles produces engagement of the paddles with the clothing and, by reason of revolution of the paddles andengagement with clothing, the basket is caused to revolve in the tub thus bringing all the clothing in the basket beneath the paddles which are lobe understood that the paddles 25 are supported by means of blocks 26 and 27 se-' cured to the shaft, bolts 28 being provided at each end engaging through apertures in a flange 29 and 30 at opposite ends of each paddle member. The paddles are mounted on the supporting members at about the center thereof as will be understood from Fig. 2 and a spring 31 is provided for each paddle intermediate the ends which engages an eyed member at one end and engages about one of the shafts or stay members 33 extending from one block 26 to the other block 27 as will be understood from Fig. 3. These springs being connected with an end of a paddlea member tend to hold the paddles in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. If it be supposed that the paddles rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, it will be noted that, as they come in contact with the clothing at the lower part of the stroke, the paddles will yield as is indicated by dotted lines a in the figure, but the springs are of sufficient strength to hold the paddle and cause pressure to be exerted upon the clothes upon contact therewith pressing them downward in the basket and causing the soapy water to pass through the clothes. In turning these paddles not only depress the clothes but have a suflicient contact therewith to cause a revolution of the basket and, as the basket turns with the paddles and the paddle comes to position shown by the dotted 4 lines b in the figure, it is relieved from the clothes to action by its spring causing itto assume its original position as shown by full lines as will be readily understood.

The washing effect is caused principally by this continual depression and relief of the clothes in the basket. That is the paddle engages the clothes forcing them downward in the basket and, as the paddle moves upward therefrom, the natural tendency is to fluff the clothes which again places them in position to be depressed in the water and this continual depressing and flufling movement causes the water to be forced through the threads of the clothing.

The paddles may be corrugated as shown in Fig. 2 which, as the paddle moves has the tendency to draw across the surface of the clothing or material contacted thereby and has a tendency tofurther cause movement of the clothing in the water and assist in the general operation as described. It is to be understood, however, that the corrugations are not absolutely essential as such construction may be dispensed with if desired.

After the clothing has been thoroughly washed, the shaft 12 by means of a knob 36 provided at the end thereof may be withdrawn longitudinally inits bearings releasing the paddle shaft 17 allowing its removal and thereupon the perforate basket with the clothing therein may be raised out of the tub allowing the water to drain out of the basket and clothing preparatory to the rinsing operation and this permits the operator to handle the washed clothing without necessity of handling the same while in the hot washing water. A wringing attachment may be provided connected with the shaft 15 if so desired. The wringing device and method of operation, however, is not a particular part of this invention, the essential characteristics of which are the removable paddles and shaft and the removable and rotatable perforate basket constructed for operation as herein described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a washing machine, a tub, a perforate basket supported therein and rotatable about a vertical axis, a detachably mounted horizontal shaft extending across the tub above the basket, a series of paddles on the said shaft, a driving shaft, and a detachable driving connection between the drive shaft and the paddle shaft, said paddles extending into the perforate basket at one side of its axis of rotation.

2. In a washing machine, a tub, a removable basket supported therein and rotatable about a vertical axis, a horizontal shaft extending across the tub above the basket, 0. series of paddles on the shaft extending into the basket at one side of its axis of rotation, said paddles being pivoted in equidistant relation abo t the shaft therefor, a spring for each pad le yieldably preventing turning of the paddle on its axis, a driving shaft, and a detachable connection between the driving shaft and the paddle shaft.

3. In a washing machine, a tub, a perforate basket supported therein and rotatable about a vertical axis, a horizontal shaft extending across the tub above the basket, and a series of paddles on the shaft at one side of the axis of rotation of the basket, the said paddles being arranged in a group each being pivoted eccentric to the axis of rotation of the paddle shaft and with the end of one paddle extending to the plane of the preceding paddle at about its pivot point, and springs yieldably holding the paddles in such normal relation.

4. In a Washin machine, a cylindrical tub, a perforate basket therein rotatable about a vertical axis, a horizontal paddle shaft, a series of paddles extending into the basket at one side of its axis of rotation, a series of rods positioned about the paddle shaft 011 each of which a paddle is pivoted, and a spring for each paddle member, the outer face of the paddle members being curved and'the springs yieldably holdin the paddles from turning on the rods therefbr.

5. In a washing machine, a tub, a horizontal shaft removably supported therein, a driving connection for the shaft, and a series of paddles at one side of the vertical axis of the tub, the paddles each being pivoted eccentric to the axis of rotation of the shaft andbeing arranged in a group in substantially triangular form, the paddles each having an outwardly curved face and inwardlyextending flanges at each side, the end of the L paddle extending between the flanges of the preceding paddle in the direction of rotation and the outer ends of the paddles being corrugated. and springs yieldably preventing 10 the turning of the paddles on their respective axes.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

RAYMOND J. SCHNEIDER. 

